Love
by Auto-Regen
Summary: Prequel to Unwound.  The thoughts of a dying man. Warning: Very light M/M


Still working on updates. The chapter for 'Unwound' isn't anywhere near done, sorry guys. 'Fortitude' is done and I'm reading over it, might be up later today.

I tried to stick as close to the scene as I could. Sorry if it doesn't reach expectations.

As always, I appreciate all the faves and alerts. :)

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><p>No. Going to Midgar was suppose to help. He was suppose to find Aerith and get her to help Cloud… Cloud!<p>

The rain was all that he could see for a moment. Ice cold drops hit his skin and wounds, he knew it was only water but that didn't stop it from feeling like daggers. The mud clung to his tattered uniform and caked itself in the bullet holes that went all the way through his body. It all hurt but he wasn't so much worried for himself as he was for his friend.

Zack attempted to sit up, but found that his body would only twitch in response. A fiery pain seized his lungs and caught his breath. Sky blue eyes slowly moved across the makeshift battlefield, broken swords and SOLDIER helmets littered the area; but no sign of his blonde friend… His breath came out in a shuddering sigh. It hurt to just breath, he didn't think he could call out.

If Cloud was still alive, which unfortunately the chances were slim, and he came out of his Mako induced coma then he'd be scared and confused. The blonde may have the body of a man, but his mind would still be that of a teenager. The thought made his heart clench.

Cloud…

His mind drifted on the thought of the younger man. They drifted to the incident at Nibelheim and the confession that had been eating him alive since at horrible night. He was going to tell Cloud how he felt… The blonde had seen him at his worst and still was nothing but caring toward him. So many things that he wanted to do, things he wanted them to do together. The SOLDIER choked back tears and a whole new pain flared up in his body. He was dying and he knew it; dying when Cloud could still be alive and needing him.

The sound of something being dragged caught his attention. Possibly a SOLDIER that had lived through the raven haired man's attacks. But, there was no blunt side anymore; he didn't just knock things out, he had moved past that part of his life. There was no room for honor in this new world that Shin-Ra was making. No room for honor when he had someone to protect… The noise stopped right beside him, sky blue eyes slowly lowered to see ocean blue staring back at him.

"Z-Zack…" Cloud looked lost as he stared down at his dying friend. Perhaps his mind wasn't wrapped around the situation, Zack mused.

Pain flared up in the Ex-SOLDIER's chest, making his breath catch for a moment. Cloud seemed so confused, he would have thought it cute if it wasn't such a dire situation. He could feel the life bleeding out of his body, making everything seem dimmer and muffled; and that lead him to make a decision, "For the… both of us…" Zack said softly, having to stop to get air into his increasingly heavy lungs.  
>"Both… Of us?" the blonde parroted just as softly. His eyes stayed on his dying friend, recognition was finally shining through; it was a beautiful thing, something that the raven haired man had longed to see for years, knowing that Cloud was actually seeing him and not through him.<p>

Zack tried to nod and regretted the action immediately, "That's right… You're gonna…"

"You're gonna…" Cloud parroted again, interrupting Zack.

Zack would have laughed, had he been able to. He reached up slowly and slid his hand across the side of the blonde's face as he moved his hand to the back of his head. With a quick pull Cloud's head down to rest on the raven haired man's bloodied chest. "Live," he whispered breathlessly, holding Cloud's head against his chest. It felt nice to be so close to the one that he had secretly loved and admired for so long.

He wondered if this was how Angeal felt when he knew he was going to die. If he had had any form of comfort before they had their confrontation. Had he felt like his life hadn't mattered? That he had given everything he had and received nothing?

No… Cloud would be the proof that he had given everything to save the life of his love. More than that though, it was proof that his life had meant something. His sacrifice was for Cloud to keep living no matter what. He smiled fondly. "You'll be… my living legacy," Zack told Cloud quietly. The pattering of the rain nearly drowning him out.

They stayed that way for some time, until finally Zack releases Cloud's head. His arm falls limply to his side, the strength to hold it up was gone. After lingering for a moment Cloud slowly raises his head to look at Zack; blood was matted in his hair and smeared across the side of his face. He blinked at Zack and tilted his head slightly.

Zack smiles softly at Cloud and looks toward the Buster Sword still in his hand. Maybe he did still have honor… It wasn't really something that could be easily gotten rid of, right? He still had morals and virtues… "My honor, my dreams," he struggled, but raises the handle to Cloud and his face straightens out into a look of determination, "They're yours now."

Cloud hesitantly reaches for the hilt and takes it from Zack's hand. Once Cloud has hold of the sword Zack give it a gentle push toward him. Ocean blue eyes blinked at him slowly before moving down to the sword. "I'm your… living legacy…" Cloud told him as he stared at the sword.

"That's right…" Zack whispered, feeling himself getting choked up. He had to tell him, he'd never get another chance. "Cloud," he called softly, not able to speak any louder. The rain continued to fall around them, the area was already littered with puddles; though the ones on the cliff were filled with a mixture of SOLDIER's and Zack's blood.

When Cloud looked back up at Zack his eyes were shining brightly. Zack offered him what he hoped was a smile, "I love you… I have for so long…" He wanted so badly to touch the blonde's face again, but couldn't get up the strength to lift his arms.

Cloud's eyes watered; Zack could see tears that the younger refused to shed, even when he wasn't in the right state of mind. "I… love you…" Cloud seemed to be struggling as he repeated Zack.

Zack smiles and closes his eyes, it wasn't a real confession; but it felt so good to hear. He could feel his heart slowing.

Cloud's mind finally seemed to register the situation and Zack could hear him gasp for air.

The rain was slowly subsiding, he could no longer feel the icy prickling of the droplets. He struggled to open his eyes but found that he simply couldn't; he was beginning to drift away. Just barely, he heard Cloud's anguished cry. It hurt his soul to hear the blonde sound like he was breaking.

"Thank you," he heard Cloud's soft voice tell him, suddenly he was hearing him as clear as day. Cloud was thanking him… "I won't forget," the blonde added even more softly.

Zack could feel himself smile, it was a strange feeling. Not so much feeling his facial muscles moving, but more of the happy feeling that came along with it. He could hear moving and knew that Cloud had stood up, preparing to walk the rest of the distance alone.

"Goodnight… Zack." Cloud's feet dragged slightly as he walked away, the Buster Sword scrapping the ground lightly. Goodnight... That sounded like a nice way to think about it... One day he would wake up, and maybe Cloud would be there beside him...

Maybe Cloud would finally get to meet Aerith. Zack had wanted to introduce them for so long. His thoughts drifted to her, "That girl, she said that the sky frightened her. That looks so… Liberating." Zack's eyes slowly opened to see stare up at the sky, watching as something drew closer. He was feeling strangely light and almost… happy. Was that… Angeal flying toward him. A smile made its way onto his face as he watched his mentor descend.

"Those wings… I want them too," Feathers begin to fall around him as he reached up for Angeal and toward the sky. Slowly he's lifted enough to grab Angeal's hand. He could feel himself being pulled into a warm light. It feels… good.

The raven haired man could suddenly see again. He could see the empty cliff and the surrounding mess of battle, he moved his gaze and from above Zack can see Cloud trudging across the muddy wasteland. It felt like his heart clenched, but he knew that it couldn't have; knew that it never would again.

He tried to brighten up as he spoke to Cloud, "If you see Aerith, say hi for me. And Cloud… don't be sad… Please, just live." He watched on for a long time and a funny thought occurred to him as he watched Cloud disappear into the gates of Midgar.

"Hey Cloud, would you say… I became a hero?"


End file.
